THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 


THE   COLLECTION  OF 
NORTH   CAROLINIANA 


C378 

UK3 

I83IM 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


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(iRjaaxajams  ron  TsiaPERANCEj 

ADDRESSED  TO  THE  STUDENTS  OF  THE 


wirai^i^ia^a^^ 


NORTH  CAROLINA, 

March  13th,  1831, 


AND    PUBLISHED    BY    THEIR    REQUEST. 


B¥  E.  MITCHELL, 

PROFESSOR  OF    CHEMISTRY,    ETC. 


Printed  by  J.  Gales  ^  Son, 
1831. 


«J*«2^ 


i 


-•% 


t 


NOTE. 

The  University  of  North -Carol  in  a  has  suffered,  in  common 
with  the  other  literary  institutions  of  the  Country,  from  the  evils 
against  which  *he  following  Discourse  is  directed.  It  is  not  suppos- 
ed they  have  been  felt  more  severely  here  than  elsewhere.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1829,  some  of  the  Students  formed  themselves  into  a  Temper- 
ance Society,  and  since  that  time  it  has  been  in  our  power  to  say  to 
Parents,  that  there  is  one  form  of  vice  from  which  they  have  nothing 
to  fear  for  their  sons  at  the  University.  Whatever  maybe  the  merits 
of  the  general  Temperance  question  (and  the  writer  has  no  doubts 
Hpon  that  point,  or  respecting  the  issue  to  which  it  will  be  brought  in 
the  course  of  the  next  ten  years)  it  will  not  be  denied,  that  the  per- 
sons by  whom  this  particular  Society  was  established,  and  by  whom, 
it  has  been  supported,  have  rendered  an  essential  service  to  the  peo" 
pie  of  this  State,  nor  deemed  strange  that  the  author  of  the  following 
pages  should  feel  a  deep  interest  in  its  permanence  and  prosperity. — 
Besides  these  statements,  no  apology  will  be  necessary  for  having 
furnished  this  Discourse  for  the  Press.  The  train  of  remark  and  ar- 
gument presented  in  it,  does  not  differ,  in  some  places,  froim  what  may 
^e  found  in  certain  recent  publications.  It  is  known  that  it  was  writ- 
Hen  out  and  delivered  in  the  first  instance  more  than  a  year  ago. 
*       University  of  N.  C.  April  B,  18^1. 


\ 


V,: 

"  TiMOiav  J,  23.    "Drink  ISO  Ioniser  water  but  use  a  lltric    wine  fiV 
ihy  s iov:Kipjj.^.s  fji\iP, .-'r" '1  ' ^^ iim  n>'<'<^^'>  infirmities. "—•'*•**— *»»^ 

IT  is  knowu  to  rao?t  of  my  audience.,  tliat  vritliiii  a  few 
years  tlie  public  mind  ht\s  in  vnrious  ways  been  awaken- 
ed to  a  cousiderafion  of  tiic  miscliiefs  of  Intemperance. -— 
Methods  liavc  been  eagerly  enquired  afier  of  arre^jting  the 
progress  of  an  evil  that  is  pouring  down  like  a  deluge  over 
ihe  land  and  burying  th?  liappincss  of  thousands  of  fami- 
ih'.fi  in  hopeless  ruin.  The  plans  proposed  for  effecting 
this  object  arc  abundantly  f^implc.  They  consist  merely 
in  Hie  formation  of  societies  tlie  membeis  of  vrhick  bind 
ihciiiselvcs.  c-iilier  indefinitely  or  for  a  certain  time,  to  ab- 
stain altogether  from  the  vsc.  of  distilled  spirits.  An  as- 
sociatiou  of  i his  kind  already  exists  in  ihc  University. — 
it  is  not  doubted  that  the  good  work  which  has  i)een  be- 
giUi  wiU  be  carried  on  with  nnremittiog  zeal^  and  as  most 
of  us  are  likely  to  be  compelled  to  take  some  attitude — - 
that  of  eitlier  frieiid  or  foe  to  the  new  instikition  that  iff 
sjiringing  up  iu  the  country^  it  is  important  that  its  princi- 
ples and  objects  should  be  well  understood.  It  would 
appear  at  first  sight  to  be  impossible,  as  it  certainly  is  un- 
reasonable, that  the  hostile  feeling  of  any  one  should  be 
excited  ;  the  meml>ers  proposing  to  bind  themselves  only 
to  abstinence^  and  not  other  people  Experience  has  how- 
ever sliewis,  that  no  benevolent  undertaking  can  iTe  carried 
into  efiect  without  a  struggle  with  men,  who  from  various 
|inotives  of  interest  or  passion,  are  led  to  oppose  it  The 
attention  of  my  hearers  will  be  called  to  three  diiferenr 
points. 

I.  To  the  necessity  of  some  measures  for  arresting  the 
desolating  progress  of  Intemperance  in  this  land. 

II.  To  the  adequacy  and  expediency  of  the  means  pro- 
posed for  effecting  the  object  in  view.  An  opportunity 
'vill  here  be  aflPovded' of  answering;  i^ertain  objection^?  felia-t 


^•y  has  liithevto  been  ibnnd  for  it — i|  embraces  not  tlie  ani- 
mal part  of  our  natmc  only  in  the  circle  of  its  ravaj^cs,  but 
the  entire  man.  Tiie  undeishu^ding  and  ilic  heart  sink 
alike;  every  glorious  faculty  obscured,  and  every  amiable 
and  lovely  feeling  destroyed. 

Hence  is  the  injustice  apparent  of  permitting  .our  anger 
to  burn  too  hotly  against  tlie  man  wlio  has  fallen  a  victim 
to  habits  of  Intem]jerance,  and  of  regarding  him  as  a  being 
under  the  influence  of  a  kind  of  charm  which  )2e  ha^  the 
power  to  break  loose  from  and  escape,  if  he  would.  Prob- 
ably no  one  living  is  more  sensible  than  he  of  the  ]nesent 
degradation  and  final  ruin  he  is  bringing  up(m  iiiuiself : 
many  a  melancholy  hour  do  his  thoughts  dv.eU  upon  the 
calamities  that  are  about  to  overwhelra  him,  many  a  bitter 
tear  does  he  drop  upon  those  chains  that  have  already  be- 
come too  strong  for  him  to  break,  lie  forms  many  a  beauti- 
ful scheme  of  reformation — as  he  is  giving  it  the  finishing 
touches,  he  feels  the  strong  and  unnatural  appetite  he  has 
jcreated  commence  it  gnawings,  and  turns  for  relief  to  the 
glass  where,  with  the  means  of  present  gratification  and 
enjoyment,  he  well  knows  that  the  elements  of  future  and 
remediless  disgrace  and  sufiering  are  mingled. 

Hence  also  is  manifest  the  danger  of  the  most  distant 
approaches  to  that  gloomy  gulf,  deliverance  from  which  is 
bardly,  if  at  all,  (and  the  hand   of  Almighty   God  being 
Tisibly  stretched  out  to  pluck  us  from  ruin)  to  be  expected. 
Xiet  no  one  regard  Intemperance  as  a  monster  from  whose 
jaws  it  is  easy  to  escape  when  we  have  been  once  brought 
within  the  circle  of  his  power.      Experience  has  ])roved, 
that  no  amount  of  native  talent,  of  information  or  lirmness 
of  character,  is  a  security.     If  the  grim  tyrant  habit  have 
thrown  his  chaiiis  around  us,  it  is  all  but  hopeless  to  strug- 
gle with  our  fate.     Before  those  chains   shall  have  been 
iairlyri vetted,  our  whole  constitution,  physical,  intellectual 
and  moral,  will  have  undergone  a  change,  and  we  shall  no 
longer  be  the  men  we  were. 

I  seems  hardly  necessary  to  state  in  detail  how  fatal 
are  habits  of  Intemperance  to  the  poor  wretch  wlio  has 
3>ecome  their  victim.     Standing  high  perhaps  in  the  society 


of  wliich  lie  is  a  iiieml^r,  he  iintls  the  lespecfc  with  wliicli 
an  antecedent  lil'c  of  virtue,  leiiiperancc  and   inte2;rity  has 
been  rewarded,  ])iissing  silently  iuvay,   like  the  snows  ut 
spring,  beneath  the  influence  of  tlie  sun.     The  old,  Avhosb 
conduct  used  to  shew  how  highly  they  prized  his   friend- 
ship, and  the  young,  who  were   once  so   eager   to   exhibit 
evidence  of  their  esteem  and  roi^^ard,  now  pass  him  by  with- 
out any  more  tiian  a  cold  and  distant  salutation.      His  opi- 
nion has  no  longer  (lie  same  weight  in  cases  of  doubt  and 
perplexity.      His  neighbours  think  tliat  a  cloud  has  settled 
down  upon  his  judgment  and   darkened   that  mental   ey?. 
once  so  clear  and  keen.     He  begins  to  suspect,  himself, 
that  mankind  do  him  no  injuslicc.     Flis  affairs  are  involv- 
ed in  confusion  and  disorder,   and  either  his   schemes  ar.^ 
not  laid   v.ith   his   nsual   sngacity,    or  the  turns  of  acci- 
cident  and  fortune  are  very  much  against  him.     He  ^nih. 
that  he  has  lost  a  portion  of  his   power  for  both  physical 
and  mental  exertion      His  iumily  appear  melanclioly  and 
dejected,  and  it  is  in  vain  that  lie,  waiies  up  all  his  wit  and. 
tries  by  the  most  sprig!) tly  sallies  to  revive  their  drooping 
spirits.     They  used  to  meet  him  when  he  returned  from  a 
distance  with  countenances  lighted   up  with  smiles,   and 
welcome  home  the  protector,  husband,   friend  and  father. 
But  the  time  comes  at  length,  when  his  wife  and  childreu 
no  longer  rejoice  at  his  return,  but  as   he  approaches  they 
stand  silent ;  their  hearts  wrung  with  unutterable   sorrow, 
and  turn  away  their  eyes  and  refuse  to  look  upon  the  ruia 
and  degradation  of  what  was  once  so  venerable  and  lovely. 
Oh,  if  there  be  any  one  thing  beneath  the  circuit   of  the 
sky  of  Avhich   there  is   any  liope  that  it  will  awaken  the 
strong  feelings  of  nature,   tiiat  are  either  asleep  or  dead 
within  him,  and  rouse  him  to  one  last  despairing  efiort  to 
shake  ofl'  his  chains  and  regain  his  freedom,  it  is  that  dis- 
tress  of  his  family.     Eut  often,  as  we  know,  even  that  is 
unavailing.     The  voice  of  tlie  strong  appetite  he  has  crea- 
ted is  louder  than  the  voice  of  nature,  and  the  mansion  thrst 
lias  hitherto  been  the  abode  of  love   and  ])eacc,  becomes 
the  very  scene  of  his  excesses,  and  vvhen  his  brain  is  lieat- 
ed  to  phrenzy,  the  arm  of  violence  is  perhaps  raised  again-t 
a  woTnan— the  wife  »f  ids  bosom,  or  asL-ainst  those  chiidr?::! 


I 


<sl 

who  should  be  the  objects  of  his  tejulerestiove..  Eutwhy 
pursue  the  melancholy  story,  the  particulars  of  which, 
from  the  unhappy  frequency  of  thejr  occurrcuccj  are  but 
too  well  known  to  us  all?  Why  speak  of  the  ruin  of  his 
credit,  the  wasting  of  Ills  property,  the  quarrels  (with  his 
"best  friends  too)  into  which  lie  is  betrayed,  when  petulant 
and  ill  uatured  through  the  effect  of  intoxication?  His 
friends  deriving  no  ])leasure  from  his  society,  at  length 
forsake  him.  His  estate  is  squandered,  and  his  children, 
(because  the  wealth  that  should  have  co:iie  down  to  them 
from  their  ancestors,  is  intercepted  in  its  descent  by  the 
author  of  tiieir  being,  whom  thelaw  of  nature  that  binds  even 
the  brute  creation  J  required  to  be  their  friend  and  protector) 
are  driven  away  to  seek  their  fortune  iu  some  foreign  land 
and  on  a  distant  shore. 

The  poor  wretch  himself  feels  at  length  the  access  of 
those  diseases  of  which  he  has  been  so  long  sowing  the 
seeds.  The  poison  he  lias  been  for  years  taking  into  his 
system  operates  decisively.  He  sinks  beneath  a  compli- 
cated load  of  disorders  and  infirmities — shall  I  say  into  a 
late  or  an  early  grave?  An  early  giave,  inasmuch  as  he 
lias  but  just  reached  the  age  when  the  sober  and  temperate 
part  of  mankind  are  in  theirprime — a  late  one  also,  for  he 
has  long  since  ceased  to  be  useful  in  the  world,  and  ceased 
therefore  to  execute  the  office  for  which  God  created  him,  and 
for  which  his  life  was  prolonged  from  day  to  day— and  again  I 
say,  an  early  grave;  for  has  not  he  died  too  soon, who  has  died, 
as  there  is  but  too  much  reason  to  fear,  with  his  sins  unrepented 
of,  and  therefore  unforgiven ;  who  was  unable  to  endure  the 
scrutiny  which  mankind  are  accnstomed  to  institute,  and 
by  which  they  try  each  others  characters ;  how  shall  he 
abide  the  inquisition  of  that  Holy  God  in  whose  sight  the 
heavens  themselves  are  impure.  ^ 

But  suppose  the  man  who  has  killed  himself  with  strong 
drink  to  be  committed  to  the  grave,  his  past  conduct  does 
not  cease  to  influence  the  happiness  of  mankind,  and  hie 
follies  and  crimes  continue  to  live  iu  their  effects  when  he 
is  no  more. 

If  we  diligently  anquire  what  is  that  more  than  any 


other  tbins; — perliaps  I  mii^lit  .safely  vsay,  wbicli  more  thaa 
all  other  things,  influences  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  a 
commiinity,  we  shall  find  it  is  t!»e  education  of  its  younger 
members.  Mankind  are  every  where  the  same  at  their 
birtli,  but  the  eiiect  of  early  impressions  is  infinite.  If 
t!ie  child  ,be  taught  from  bis  very  earlie&t  years  to  lisp  hi^ 
little  prayers,  and  as  lie  advances  towards  manhood  care 
be  taken  to  imbue  bis  ,'^outbfal  mind  with  the  pure  princi- 
ples of  virtue,  morality  and  religion  ;  if  he  be  taught  to  as- 
pire to  every  thing  that  is  good  and  generous  and  kind  and 
iiobk'.  that  child  can  iiardly  fail,  when  he  shall  ripen  into 
a  man,  of  becoming  a  worthy  and  useful  citizen.  If  all  the 
youth  of  a  country  be  thus  educated,  that  will  be  a  happy 
country. 

But  if  on  the  otlier  band,  the  heart  of  the  child  be  left 
-iin  uncultivated  field,  wliere  weeds  and  brambles  may  spring 
up  and  grow  and  flourish  if  they  list ;  if  he  be  permitted 
to  select  his  associates  amongst  the  abandoned  sons  of  idle- 
ness and  guilt;  that  child,  unless  there  be  something  very 
peculiar  in  bis  moral  and  intellectual  character,  v*  ill  be 
very  likely,  to  say  the  least,  to  prove  a  curse  to  the  society 
in  v.hich  he  lives.  If  the  youth  of  a  country  be  generally 
thus  neglected,  no  matter  what  may  be  its  physical  advan- 
tages or  the  form  of  its  government,  its  soil  may  be  fertile 
as  the  borders  of  tlie  Nile,  its  government  monarchical, 
aristocratical  or  democratical,  as  you  choose,  tiiat  country, 
taken  as  a  v»hole,  will  be  poor  and  wretched.  It  is  vain 
to  think  of  legi;slating  for  such  a  country  under  the  idea  of 
making  it  peaceful,  Nourishing  and  happy.  We  may  bor- 
row the  pen  of  Draco,  and  \vrite  the  statute  book  from  end 
to  end  in  letters  of  blood  ;  we  may  crown  the  summit  of 
every  mountain  and  hill  with  a  gibbet  and  a  prison — a- 
midst  all  that  apparatus  of  law  and  justice,  vice  v/ill  pre- 
sent herself  with  a  bold  unblushing  countenance  in  the 
most  public  places^  and  laugh  the  lawgiver  and  judge  to 
^corn. 

Now  it  is  most  evident,  that  however  well  the  drunkard 
may  provide  for  tlic  intellectual  education  of  bis  family 
(and  the  probability  is  fliat  he  will   mske  but  indifferent 


provision)  their  moral  aud  reli2;ioiis  education  must  he  ml'^ 
serahly  neglected.  How  will  he  dare  to  asscmhle  his 
children  about  him  to  unfold  and  explain  to  them  the  dis- 
tinctions between  good  and  evil,  vice  and  virtue,  with  their 
eternal  sanctions — reconiinend  the  one  and  warn  them  to 
avoid  the  other — lie  Vvliose  conduct  is  an  open  violation  of 
the  laws  of  morality  and  religion  every  day  that  he  lives? 
It  sometimes  happens  undoubtedly,  tliat  when  one  pa- 
rent is  thus  fovgctfal  of  the  duties  they  both  owe  to  theii 
common  offspring,  the  other  steps  forward  to  supply  the 
deficiency  and  becomes  boili  father  and  mother  to  the  chil 
dren.  But  it  is  most  unreasonable  to  expect,  tiiat  where- 
ver there  is  an  intemperate  father,  there  v/ill  be  a  sensible 
and  judicious  mother.  And  even  supposing  this  to  be  the 
case,  she  can  in  part  only  and  not  entirely  remedy  the  evil. 
The  child  needs  the  unwearied  exertions  of  both  parent'^ 
l^  form  him  to  usefulness  and  greatness,  and  when  he  ih 
blessed  with  the  guiding  hand  of  but  one,  and  tlie  influence 
of  the  other  is  employed  so  far  as  it  goes  to  render  the 
care  and  labour  of  tliat  one  unavailing,  it  is  very  evidenl: 
he  v/ill  never  reach  the  eminence  lie  Vtould  have  attained 
had  both  acted  in  concert  and  harmony.  And  very  often, 
as  experience  abundantly  shows,  the  drunkard  not  (mly 
ruins  himself  but  (his  children  copying  Iiis  example  and 
acquiring  in  early  life  his  habiis)  drags  down  ail  that  are 
connected  with  him  to  ruin. 

We  made  choice  of  an  intemperate  father  to  sit  for  the 
portrait  we  have  drawn,  and  to  furnish  materials  for  this 
brief  and  melancholy  history.      U'e  might  have  selected 
any   other    member    of  the  fjimily  ;  have  told    how    the 
timid     maiden    flies    the    presence   of     the    intemperate 
youth,   or   laments    with  bitter  and  unavailing   tears  the, 
hour  when  she  consented  to  listen  to  liis  addresses  ;  we- 
might  have  told  of  his  father's  shame  and  sorrow  ;   how  grief  j 
like  a  sharp  arrow  pierces  his  mother's  soul,  and  how  his 
day  closes  in  clouds  and  darkness  when  it  is   hardly  yei 
beirun.     Wc  mi^ht  have  described  the  career  of  the  intem- 
perate  mother — but  here  the  subject  becomes  too  revoltin,2r 
and  horrible,  and  it  is  unnecessary  to  dwell  upon  it. 


We  need  no  holy  Prophet,  with  a  breast  labo«ring  with 
the  inspii'iitioii  of  the  Almiglity,  to  inform  us  that  intempe- 
rance is  a  criitt'.^,  and  to  denounce  it  as  a  tiemondous  evil. 

^  God  liath  already  made  known  to  us  by  infallible  marks^ 
by  the  effects  w'lich  are  associaUul  with  it  and  follow  it^ 
the  nature  of  tliis  species  of  excess,  and  no  nation  or  people 
under  heaven  has  ever  mistaken  tiie  import  of  these  indica- 
tions. Jew  and  Gentile,  the  white  man,  the  red  man,  t!i© 
African,  Turk  and  Pagan,  believer  and  infidel — all  hold 
the  same  laui^^uage  respecting  it,  all  warn  mankind  against 
it  as  a  dreadful  whirlpool,  ihathas  already  swallowed  up, 
and  will  hereafter  swallow  up,  wealth,  distinction,  talents, 
beauty,  youth  and  venerable  age.  The  ancient  Spartans 
used  to  make  tiieir  slaves  drunk  in  the  presence  oX  / 
their  children,  that  they  mij;;!)!  inspire  the  future  guardians 
of  their  country  with  a  suitable  abhorrence  of  so  degrading 
a  vice.  Ilohhes,  the  enemy  of  revealed  religion,  who  was 
willing,  as  much  as  in  him  lay,  to  break  up  and  destroy 
the  distinction  between  vice  and  virtue,  taught  that  volun- 
tary drunkenness  is  a  breach  of  the  lav»'  of  nature,  which 
directs  us  to  preserve  the  use  of  our  reason. 

Calculations  may  be  seen  in  different  publications,  of 

».  the  amount  that  is  wasted  annually  in  these  United  States, 
in  the  preparation  and  purchase  of  ardent  spirits — ^-and  with 
no  benefit  wliatever  to  our  population.  i3ut  of  this  I  do 
not  propose  to  speak  at  the  present  time.  The  mere  ex- 
pence  the  nation  could  bear,  large  as  the  sum  is — amount^ 
ing  to  some  millions  of  dollars,  that  is  thus  needlessly 
thrown  away  every  year.  But  this  is  little  compared  with 
the  expenditure  of  a  different  kind  by  which  it  is  accom- 
panied, the  annihilation  of  moral  worth  and  virtuous  cha- 
racter, of  ijope,  respect  and  love,  that  attends  it.  How 
many  joyful  countenances  do  the  effects  of  Intemperance 
every  year  sadden ;  how  many  hearts  are  wrung  with 
unutterable  sorrow.  Rusli  computed,  many  years  ago, 
that  four  thousand  persons  die  annually  in  these  United 
States  from  the  abuse  of  intoxicating  liquors.  His  esti- 
mates are  supposed  to  have  been  much  too  low  at  the  tira^, 
when  they  w«r«  made;  they  certainly  fall  very  greatly ji«- 


as 

iiiiid  the  amount  of  mortality  arising  from  this  source  at 
the  present  day.  If  we  ask  what  it  is  that  crowds  the  cri- 
minal docket  of  our  Courts  with  causes,  every  lawyer  will 
point  to  Intemperance  as  the  ever-bubbling  and  perennial 
fountain  from  w  hich  the  mischief  flowed.  If  we  look  into 
the  poor-houses,  jails,  hospitals  and  lunatic  asylums,  from 
one  end  of  tlie  land  to  the  other,  and  enquire  what  it  is 
that  has  brought  the  wretched  inmates  there,  we  shall  learn 
that  more  than  one-half,  nearly  three-quarters,  may  safely 
assign  too  free  a  use  of  ardent  spirits  as  the  cause  of  their 
ruin.  The  country  is  deprived  of  the  labour  of  these  per- 
sons, amounting  to  many  thousands,  and  burthened  with 
their  support — their  friends  and  relatives  are  sharers  in 
their  infamy. 

These  are  evils  of  the  present  life.  If  it  were  allow  ed 
ine  to  borrow  from  the  Angel  mentioned  in  the  llevclations, 
the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit,  to  unlock  its  iron  gates,  call 
forth  such  of  its  inhabitants  as  the  sin  of  drunkenness  caused 
to  be  thrust  down  into  that  gloomy  and  eternal  prison,  and 
compel  them  to  tell  the  history  of  their  fall,  and  with  what 
punishments  a  just  God  now  visits  their  transgressions,  I 
should  obtain  materials  for  a  darker  and  more  heart-rend- 
ing tale. 

Is  not  some  remedy  for  the  evils  of  Intemperance  loudly 
called  for?  If  a  remedy  of  safe  and  easy  application  shall 
be  devised,  can  any  man  claim  to  be  considered  a  worthy 
member  of  the  society  in  which  he  lives  who  shall  refuse 
his  aid  in  applying  it  ?  I  proceed,  secondly,  to  consider 
the  adequacy  and  expediency  of  that  proposed  by  the 
friends  and  patrons  of  the  Temperance  Society. 

They  regard  it  as  a  settled  principle  in  that  philosophy 
which  treats  of  the  nature  of  man,  of  his  grandeur  and 
meanness,  of  his  moral  weakness  in  the  full  possession  of 
intellectual  strength,  that  he  is  too  frail  a  being  to  be  trusted 
with  the  unrestrained  use  of  intoxicating  liquors,  such  as 
they  are  presented  to  us  the  result  of  the  refinements  of  mo- 
dern art.  The  soundness  of  this  principle  men  m/  y  pre- 
tend to  doubt;  but  if  there  be  any  truths  that  have  been 
established  on  the  basis  of  full  and  frequent  experiment, 


m 

this  is  of  tlie  mimber.  The  trial  has  been  made  in  every 
quarter  of  the  country  ;  the  nortli,  the  south,  the  east,  the 
west.  Many  thousands  of  human  lives  have  been  con- 
sumed in  providing  materials  for  an  accurate  decision.  The 
inevitable  conclusion  is,  that  it  is  unsafe  for  any  living  man 
to  confide  in  his  skill  to  elude,  or  his  strength  to  re- 
sist, the  attacks  of  this  destroyer.  The  learned  and  able 
judge,  the  statesman,  skilful  in  unravelling  the  tangled 
web  of  political  intrigue,  the  recluse  scholar,  the  merchant, 
the  planter,  the  preacher  of  the  holy  Gospel  of  Christ, 
have  all  seen  a  dark  and  disastrous  eclipse  come  over  their 
fair  prospects.  What  has  happened  to  them  heretofore, 
will  unquestionably  be  experienced  by  others  placed  in  the 
same  circumstances  hereafter,  unless  some  speedy  and  ef- 
fectual remedy,  some  means  of  averting  the  evil  be  pro- 
vided. But  against  the  foe  to  human  happiness  of  which 
we  are  now  speaking,  we  have  but  a  single  means  of  secu- 
rity. Our  only  safety  is  in  flight.  Some  of  my  hearers 
may  think  themselves  secure  :  thRitheij  can  come  into  con- 
tact with  the  flame  without  being  burnt — the  man  who 
collects  their  bones  after  the  conflagration  is  over,  commits 
them  to  the  earth,  and  sits  down  to  write  their  epitaph, 
will  tell  another  tale. 

In  other  cases,  mankind  have  long  since  seen  and  ac- 
knowledged their  weakness,  and  provided  a  remedy  for  it. 
The  history  of  nations  has  demonstrated,  that  it  is  unsafe 
to  trust  any  being  born  of  a  woman  with  absolute  and  un- 
limited power.  For  though  that  power  may  be  employed 
virtuously  and  for  the  advantage  of  others  for  a  while,  it 
fails  not  to  corrupt  the  heart  of  its  possessor,  and  become 
an  instrument  of  mischief  in  his  hands  at  last.  Hence  it 
is,  that  all  wise  and  enlightened  nations  limit  the  preroga- 
tives of  their  Sovereigns  by  constitutions  and  bills  of  right^ 
and  that  in  our  own  country,  the  power  of  the  civil  ruler 
is  very  accurately  defined.  The  wisdom  of  this  procedure: 
of  preventing  the  mischiefs  which  human  Aveakness  would 
produce,  since  for  weakness  we  cannot  substitute  strength 
in  the  human  character,  has  been  for  some  time  fully  un- 
derstood and  acknowledged.     It  is  only  recently,  that  the 


iifieessity  of  employing  the  same  methods  against  the  evils 
of  Intemperance  has  been  felt,  and  those  metliods  resorted 
to.  The  reasonableness  of  tlie  remedial  plans  proposed  by 
the  friends  of  the  Temperance  [Society,  is  therefore  appa- 
rent, as  also  that  they  involve  no  considerable  difficulty,  or 
important  sacrifice  of  interest  or  feeling,  and  that  just  in 
proportion  to  the  extent  in  which  they  are  adopted,  they 
must  be  efi'ectual.  They  have  been  supposed  however,  to 
be  liable  to  certain  objections,  wliicli  will  now  require  a 
careful  consideration. 

I.  It  is  said,  they  arc  at  variance  with  what  is  contained 
in  the  sacred  Scriptures;,  where  wine  is  spoken  of  as  a 
blessing  bestowed  in  love  and  kindness  by  the  Deity  upon 
man  ;  in  the  use  of  v,  hich  we  are  moreover  warranted,  by 
no  less  an  example  than  that  of  Christ  himself. 

This  objection  admits  of  so  very  simple  and  obvious  an 
answer,  that  it  would  not  be  regarded  as  worthy  of  the 
particular  notice  which  under  the  existing  circumstances, 
we  feel  bound  to  give  it,  had  there  not  appeared  in  cenain 
aiewspapers  having  an  extensive  circulation  in  our  country, 
and  the  editors  of  which  would  doubtless  claim  that  they 
,  jihould  be  considered  as  respectable  publications,  some  very 
arrogant  sneers  at  the  Temperance  Society,   so  connected 
with  a  reference  to  the  sacred  Scriptures,  as  plainly  to  im- 
ply a  belief  on  the  part  of  the  writers,  that  the  principles 
of  the  Society  and  the  word  of  God  are  at  variance.     If 
this  stupendous  ignorance  be  found  in  men  claiming  to  be 
qualified  to  inform  the  minds  of  their  fellow-citizens  on  va- 
rious topics  of  politics,  taste  and  morality,  it  may  safely  be 
^supposed,  that  there  are  plain,  unlettered  persons,  in  every 
congregation,  who  need  information  upon  these  subjects, 
and  there  is  a  necessity  for  shewing  that  the  members  of 
the  Temperance  Society  have  not  gone  to  work  to  improve 
the  code  of  morals  contained  in  the  Bible, 

It  is  granted  then,  that  the  temperate  use  of  wine  is  war- 
ranted by  what  we  find  in  that  holy  book.  I  shall  cite 
©nly  a  few  of  the  more  remarkable  passages.  Wine  was 
one  of  the  offerings  which  the  Israelites  were  required  by 
j5ie  Leviticsil  law  to  presejat  daily  aUibe  altar  of  tkeir  GotW 


^^  Now  this  is  that  which  thou  shalt  offer  upon  the  altar, 
two  laiuhs  of  the  first  year^day  hy  day  continually,  and 
with  each  tlie  fourth  part  of  a  hin  of  wine  for  a  drink  offer- 
ing." E.vodtis  xxix,  36.  In  the  104th  Psalm,  it  is  said 
of  God,  that  ^^  he  causeth  the  grass  to  grow  for  the  cattle, 
and  herb  for  the  service  of  man,  that  he  may  bring  forth 
fruit  out  of  the  eartii,  and  ivine  that  malceth  glad  the  heart 
of  man.  and  oil  to  make  his  face  to  shine,  and  bread  which 
strengtheneth  man's  heart."  The  first  of  the  miracles 
wrought  by  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  was  that  of  turning  water 
into  wine,  that  a  marriage  feast  might  be  celebrated  in  a 
suitable  and  proper  manner.  Ke  was  afterwards,  in  the 
course  of  his  ministry^,  in  the  practice  of  driuliing  wine 
occasionally,  and  as  he  himself  declares,  was  reproached 
by  his  enemies  on  that  accouut.  ^'•'  For  John  the  Baptist 
came  neither  eatiug  bread  nor  drinking  wine,  and  ye  say 
he  hath  a  devil.  The  J^on  of  Man  came  eating  and  drink- 
ing, and  ye  say,  behold  a  gluttonous  man  and  a  wine- 
drinker,  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners."  Finally-, 
Paul  recommends  wine  to  Timothy,  his  fellow  disciple  and 
evangelist,  in  the  words  of  our  text :  "^  Drink  no  longer 
water,  but  use  a  little  wine  for  thy  stomach's  sake,  and. 
thine  often  infirmities." 

These  passages,  the  friends  of  Temperance  and  Tem- 
perance Societies  have  no  wish  to  keep  out  of  view.  They 
have  no  occasion  for  concealment  of  any  kind,  and  are 
perfectly  willing  that  the  texts  which  appear  to  make  most 
strongly  against  them  should  stand  in  the  front  of  the  bat- 
tle. We  remark,  in  reply  to  the  objection,  that  the  Tem- 
perance Societies  are  few  in  number,  and  it  is  believed 
there  are  none  in  North-Carolina,  whose  constitutions  re- 
quire of  their  members  abstinence  from  wine.  It  is  the 
use  of  ardent  or  distilled  sjnrits.  that  is  prohibited.  If  any 
one  shall  pretend  to  say  that  this  is  a  captious  and  frivo- 
lous distinction,  the  contrary  may  easily  be  made  to  ap- 
pear. 

The  juices  of  many  fruits  have  the  property,  when  se= 
parated  from  the  tough  and  tasteless  pulp  in  which  they 
arft  eoMtained^  of  undergoing  a  total  change  in  many  of 


their  properties,  and  especially  in  their  action  upon  the 
living  animal  frame.  They  pass  through  the  process  of 
fermentation,  and  from  sweet  and  inert  liquids,  become 
capable  of  producing  a  high  degree  of  excitement  in 
the  system.  When  an  intoxicating  liquor  is  procured  from 
the  grape,  we  call  it  wine.  Butbesides  the  grape  there  are 
many  other  substances  from  wliich  it  may  be  obtained  ; 
indeed  there  is  hardly  any  vegetable  matter  that  is  used  for 
food,  whicli  Avill  not  afford  it.  When  derived  from  grain 
of  any  kind,  it  takes  the  name  of  beer  or  ale  ;  when  from 
honey  sodden  in  water,  it  is  called  mead.  Hoav  many 
different  liquors  of  this  kind  the  ancient  Hebrews  were  in 
the  practice  of  forming  we  do  not  know,  but  whether  nu- 
merous or  few,  they  seem  to  have  all  been  classed  under  the 
single  denomination  bi strong  drink.  These  two  therefore, 
"vvineand  strong  drink,  both  of  them  the  products  of  simple 
fermentation,  were  the  only  intoxicating  liquors  known  in 
the  world  before  the  canon  of  Scripture  was  closed  and  the 
last  Apostle  slumbering  in  his  grave.  Neither  of  them 
was  much  stronger ;  (especially  when  manufactured  in  a 
rude  way  by  a  simple  people,  and  before  the  grape  by  long 
continued  culture  had  arrived  at  the  perfection  in  which  it 
is  now  produced  on  the  hills  of  France  and  Italy) ;  than 
cider  or  ale. 

From  sucli  substances  as  these,  so  long  as  the  method  of 
procuring  any  thing  more  stimulating  and  powerful  was 
unknown,  but  little  danger  was  to  be  apprehended.  To 
induce  intoxication,  they  must  be  taken  in  such  quantities 
into  the  stomach :  they  create,  as  I  am  informed  by  those 
who  ha^e  made  the  trial,  a  sickness  so  distressing  that 
there  ife  little  desire  of  experiencing  their  operation  a  se- 
cond timfe.  Though  persons  might  be  found  therefore  in 
the  land  of  Judea,  from  the  time  of  Moses  to  that  of  Jesus 
Christ,  who  would  be  guilty  of  the  sin  of  drunkenness, 
just  as  there  are  men  in  every  country  who  will  abuse  the 
blessings  of  food  and  sleep  and  be  sluggards  and  gluttons  ; 
the  mischiefs  of  Intemperance  were  inconsiderable,  compar- 
ed with  what  they  are  at  the  present  day.  The  use  of  wine, 
with  a  moderate  degree  of  caution  and  prudence,  was  safe. 


There  was  little  danger  that  an  imnatnral  appetite  for  it 
Avoiiltl  be  created,  especially  as  in  a  populous  country,  but 
a  small  extent  of  territory  could  be  devoted  to  its  produc- 
tion. It  was  well  fitted,  on  occasions  of  festivity  and  re- 
joicing, or  after  the  fatigues  of  severe  labor,  to  prod  ace  a 
moderate  exhilaration  ;  in  the  language  of  the  sacred  scrip- 
tures, to  make  glad  the  heart  of  man.  It  gladdened  his 
heart  without  destroying  the  gentle  and  virtuous  feelings 
there.  Hence  it  was,  that  the  use  of  it  was  sanctioned  by 
the  example  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  recommended  by  Paul 
to  Timothy 

But  in  the  wine  and  strong  drink  mentioned  in  the  scrip- 
tures there  are  present  two  different  substances.  One  is 
simple  water,  with  a  little  insipid  mucilaginous  matter  dis- 
seminated tiirough  it ;  the  other  is,  that  to  which  the  in- 
toxicating property  is  owing.  Sometime  after  the  canon 
of  scripture  was  closed,  it  was  discovered  that  one  of  these 
substances  is  more  volatile  than  the  other,  so  that  if  the 
mixture  be  boiled  the  portion  in  which  the  intoxicating 
property  resides  will  rise  first  in  vapour^  and  by  means  of 
a  proper  apparatus  may  be  collected. 

There  is  no  science  over  whose  history  so  deep  a  cloud  of  ob- 
scurity hangs  as  over  that  of  Chemistry,  so  that  we  do  not  know 
even  the  name  of  the  individual  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for 
the  process  of  distillation.  It  is  probable  that  it  was  invented 
sometime  in  the  first  century  after  Ohrist,  but  not  one  man 
in  a  thousand  knew  any  thing  of  it,  or  its  products,  till 
many  ages  afterwards.  So  deep  and  general  was  the  ig- 
norance respecting  it,  that  it  has  been  supposed  by  some^ 
that  ardent  spirits  were  first  obtained  from  a  fermented  li- 
quor by  distillation,  by  a  French  chemist  of  the  thirteenth 
century.  It  is  only  within  the  last  two  hundred  years 
that  they  have  begun  to  exert  an  influence  upon  the  morals 
and  happiness  of  mankind. 

I  have  been  thus  particular  in  tracing  the  distinction  in 
regard  to  their  origin  and  history  between  distilled  spirits 
and  the  wine  and  strong  drink  of  the  Bible,  because  that 
holy  book  is  appealed  to  by  the  intemperate  men  of  modern 


m 

iiuies,  as  though  it  really  sanctioned  their  excesses.  Tha 
man  who  drinks  his  pint  of  whis'keij  per  day,  will 
quote  tlie  advice  of  Paul  to  Timothy  ;  ^*^  Take  a  little  tt'mg 
for  thy  stomach's  sake."  There  is  in  the  scriptures  no 
warrant  for  any  thing  that  is  condemned  by  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  Temperance  Society.  There  is  no  warrant  in 
them  even  for  the  use  of  the  liquors  that  are  sold  in  the  shops 
under  the  name  of  wine,  for  all  these  have  received,  before  be- 
ing shipped  from  Europe,  an  addition  of  brandy  to  keep  them 
from  turiiinj^  sour  during  their  transportation  across  the  At- 
lantic. And  yet  we  must  drink  freelj' of  them  forsooth, l)ecause. 
Paul  recommended  wine  to  Timothy.  Is  it  not  aboniina 
ble  in  men  to  form  a  compound,  such  as  was  utterly  un- 
known in  the  ages  when  the  Scriptures  were  written,  nick- 
name it  wine,  and  then  plead  the  sanction  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  for  the  use  and  abuse  of  it  ? 

II.  It  is  said,  that  we  need  the  stimulus  ofdistilled  spirits  to 
sustain  our  strength  under  the  fatigues  of  severe  mental  and 
bodily  labour,  especially  when  we  are  to  be  exposed  for  a 
considerable  time  to  the  piercing  cold  of  winter,  or  the 
fervid  heat  of  summer. 

To  this  plea  for  indulgence  in  the  use  of  spirits,  it  is 
suificient  to  reply,  that  they  were,  unknown  to  the  whole 
ancient  world,  in  Avhich  it  is  nevertheless  believed  by  ma- 
ny, that  our  race  made  its  very  happiest  efforts  in  every 
field  of  enterprize.  In  the  early  ages,  not  less  than  at  the 
present  day,  men  engaged  in  the  labours  of  agriculture, 
commerce  and  the  arts.  On  them  fell  the  task  of  subduing 
the  then  wild  and  savage  earth,  of  intersecting  it  with 
roads,  and  adorning  it  with  cities  girt  with  walls,  and 
strengthened  with  towers — of  rearing  temples  to  the  Grods, 
many  of  which  still  remain  to  attest  the  labour,  as  well  as 
skill  and  taste,  employed  in  their  erection.  They  built 
the  mighty  pyramids.  They  had,  at  the  same  time,  as 
well  as  we,  to  compel  the  earth  to  yield  subsistence  for 
themselves  and  their  children.  These  are  the  works  of 
peace  ;  the  exertions  they  were  obliged  to  make  in  time  of 
war  were  still  more  severe.  The  Roman  soldier  took  sixty 
pounds  weight  of  baggage  upoii  his  eUoulder,  and  made 


m 

i"e2;ulai*  marches  of  twontj  miles  a  day,  wUliout  repining. 
Thus  equipped,  he  woiild  pass  one  campnigii  amongst  the_ 
snows  of  the  Hhcfitian  hilis,  and  «he  next  on  the  huruinji; 
sands  of  Numidia,  and  return  with  a  cheek  ruddy  Avitk 
health  to  his  native  home.  An  amount  of  labour  and  ex- 
posure, little,  if  at  all,  inferior  to  that  endured  by  the  Ro- 
man, was  connected  with  the  wdnde  course  of  ancient  war- 
fare, by  which  the  conquest  of  Canaan  was  effected  under 
Joshua,  David's  victories  atchieved,  the  Assyrian,  Per- 
sian and  Macedonian  Empires,  in  succession  established 
and  overturnedj  and  the  hloody  drama  of  history  brought, 
down  to  within  two  or  three  hundred  years  of  the  present 
day.  Through  the  long  series  of  ages  that  witnessed  these 
atchievemeuts,  the  art  of  distillation  w  as  either  absolutelj* 
unknown,  or  practised  in  mysterious  silence  and  secrecy, 
by  here  and  there  a  solitary  alchemist. 

>>or  did  the  mind  iu  those  ancient  days,  demand  the 
application  of  stimulants,  any  more  than  the  body.  The 
orators  of  Greece  and  Uoiise  needed  not  those  aids  and 
helps  to  eloquence,  which  our  modern  statesmen  and  de- 
claimers  employ.  To  the  poet,  the  fervor  of  his  own  bo- 
som— to  the  philosopher^  the  regular  and  natural  operations 
of  his  own  vigorou.^  and  unclonded  mind,  were  fully  suffi- 
cient for  the  production  of  those  master-pieces  of  taste  and 
wisdom  which  have  been  the  admiration  of  every  followisig 
age.  The  lips  of  Moses,  the  Jewish  lawgiver — of  David, 
the  sweet  singer  of  Israel — ot  the  holy  and  sublime  Ii-aiak 
— of  the  pathetic  Jeremiali — of  the  Jlc de p.  mer  of  mankind ^ 
were  never  polluted  by  the  products  of  distillation. 

Now  1  beg  to  be  informt  tl  whether  the  earth  underwent 
a  great  and  disastrous  revolution  two  or  three  hundred 
years  ago?  IHd  it  then  pass  from  vigorous  manhood  into 
a  state  of  dotage,  and  do  its  inhabitants  feel  the  effects  of 
the  change?  How  is  it  with  our  youth,  the  future  pillars 
of  the  i.  hurch,  in  this  our  Ameiican  Israel,  and  supports 
of  the  Republic  through  the  following  age — do  they  want 
the  native  vigour  of  their  sires?  iJo  their  hearts  beat  so 
feebly,  and  drive  the  purple  turient  iu  so  cold  and  slug- 
gish a  tide  alon^  their  arteries,  that  it  ha«  need  tobe  waiHieil. 


with  the  cordials  prescribed  to  our  forefathers  when  nature 
was  about  to  sink  beneath  the  oppressive  load  of  years  ? 
If  not,  if  the  earth  produces  and  nourishes  as  perfect  men 
now  as  she  did  in  former  times,  then  is  the  simple  fact  that 
distilled  spirits  were  unknown  to  the  heroes  and  sages  of 
antiquity,  an  ample  proof  that  there  is  no  necessity  for 
them  now. 

But  the  plea  itself  is  founded  on  an  ignorant  and  erro- 
neous idea  of  the  effect  of  spirits  upon  the  animal  frame. 
If  it  cannot  be  safely  and  truly  said,  that  they  convey  no 
nourishment  whatever  into  the  system,  it  is  at  least  certain 
that  what  tliey  do  afford,  is  too  trifling  and  inconsiderable, 
to  be  worthy  of  a  moment's  consideration,  when  reputation, 
Tiealth,  happiness  on  earth,  from  whatever  source  derived, 
and  eternal  life  itself,  are  at  stake.  It  is  not  the  kind  of 
nourishment  by  which  it  was  the  will  and  purpose  of  tlie 
Deity,  when  he  created  him,  that  the  life  of  man  should  be 
sustained.  It  is  not  a  kind  which  can  be  taken,  even  along 
with  our  natural,  proper  and  appointed  food,  without  bring- 
ing down  the  health,  bodily  strength,  and  intellectual  vi- 
gour, from  the  elevation  at  which  they  would  otherwise 
have  stood,  and  substituting,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree, 
physical  weakness  and  mental  imbecility  in  their  stead. 
Let  there  be  two  men,  whose  age,  occupation,  and  the  ge- 
neral tenor  of  tlieir  life  are  the  same,  whose  original  con 
stitntions  were  of  equal  goodness — one  of  whom  is  in  the 
habitual  use  of  ardent  spirits,  whilst  the  other  drinks  no- 
thing but  water — we  may  safely  leave  it  for  any  one  to  say. 
which  of  the  two  will  retain  the  greatest  share  of  his  native 
.strength  and  vigour  at  the  end  of  ten  years.  In  how  many 
cases  do  the  squalid,  sickly  countenance  and  trembling 
hand  of  the  man,  who  is  from  day  to  day  under  the  influ- 
ence of  stimulants,  but  never  intoxicated,  betray  his  habits, 
without  any  need  of  a  neighbour  or  acquaintance  to  tell  his 
melancholy  story. 

Would  you  have  an  example  of  the  natural  tenor  of  the 
life  of  the  race  to  which  we  belong? — look  at  a  healthy  in- 
fant subsisting  upon  that  food  which  the  wisdom  of  the  God 
of  Nature  has  provided  for  it.     Its  existence,  so  far  as  it 


depcncls  upon  the  nonrishment  it  receives^  llowa  on  like  a 
smootli  and  placid  slream  maintaining  an  nniform  depth  and 
rapidity  in  every  part  of  its  conrse.  How  different  from 
this,  is  that  nnevenness  and  irregularity  of  feeling,  the  snc- 
cession  of  excitement  and  languid  deljility,  which  is  pro- 
duced by  intoxicating  liquors.  Tliat  man  unquestionably 
lives  most  agreealdy  to  the  laws  of  nature  and  the  will  of 
the  Deity,  whose  manhood  is  an  image  and  counterpart  of 
the  unbroken  tranquillity  of  his  infant  years.  If  we  at- 
tempt to  change  this  natural  state  of  things,  to  awaken  a 
Vv^ilder,  fiercer  joy  within  us,  and  by  the  aid  of  stimulants 
to  keep  the  current  of  health  and  strength  and  vigour  and 
animation,  above  its  natural  level — we  attempt  to  improve 
upon  the  workmanship  of  Almighty  God,  and  it  requires 
no  supernatural  wisdom  to  discover  what  the  result  must 
be.  Not  only  do  we  fail  of  accomplishing  our  object^  but 
we  do  infinite  mischief. 

It  is  granted,  that  a  man  will  accomplish  his  task  (pro- 
vided it  be  a  brief  one)  and  feel  it  the  less — that  his  food 
will  be  more  tasteful,  if  he  is  under  the  influence  of  stimu- 
lants to-day,  but  he  will  come  languid  to  his  labour,  and 
the  sensation  of  hunger  will  require  to  be  roused  by  the 
same  provocatives  to-morrow.  The  amount  of  exertion  and 
enjoyment  of  which  he  is  capable  within  the  compass  of  a 
week  or  a  month,  is  diminished  rather  tlian  increased  at 
the  time ;  the  demand  for  a  renevval  of  the  unnatural  ex- 
citement becomes,  from  day  to  day,  and  year  to  year,  more 
and  more  imperious  ;  the  health  and  strength  sink,  fearful 
inroads  are  made  upon  the  native  vigour  of  the  constitution, 
and  the  fatal  appetite,  that  is  strong  as  death  and  insatia- 
ble as  the  grave,  is  created.  Spirituous  licpors  do  not 
communicate  strength.  They  merely  accumulate  the  energy 
that  should  have  been  spread  over  a  considerable  portion 
of  our  existence,  upon  a  single  point,  and  exhaust  it  there. 
They  place  the  system  in  an  unnatural  condition.  They 
give  a  shock  to  the  machine,  which  is  not  great  perhaps  in 
any  individual  instance,  nor,  if  the  material  of  which  it  is 
built  be  good,  productive  of  any  immediately  visible  bad 
effect;  but  which  fails  not^.  by  beiniz;  repeated,  to  create- 


derangement  at  last,  and  as  in  tlie  case  of  atiy  other  ma- 
chine, to  accelerate  the  time  when  it  shall  be  reduced  to  a 
heap  of  ruins. 

III.  There  are  some  who  do  hi^^hly  approve  of  all  the 
objects  and  methods  of  the  Temperance  "society,  and  w^ould 
lend  it  their  cordial  support,  might  they  be  exempted  from 
the  restraint  it  imposes  upon  its  meml)ers  on  certain  days. 
But  that  the  birth-day  of  American  freedom,  or  that  which 
gave  the  Father  of  his  Country  to  an  admiring-  world,  should 
pass  unmarked  by  some  demonstrations  of  social  and  patri- 
otic feeling,  and  recourse  to  those  means  by  which  our  fes- 
tivities are  easily  enlivened,  without  drawing  at  all  upon 
our  hoarded  stores  of  wit  and  humour,  is  what  they  cannot 
hear  of  with  any  degree  of  patience.  Or  perliaps  they  have 
a  preference  for  the  cold  ^^ater  method  of  celebration,  but 
are  unable  to  abide  the  sneers  and  sarcasms  of  such  as  pur- 
sue a  different  course. 

We  may  remark  to  these  persons,  that  if  the  men  whose 
general  conduct  is  marked  by  strict  sobriety,  shall  deem  it 
appropriate  to  heat  their  brains  with  intoxicating  liquors  on 
these  occasions,  people  of  looser  morals  will  doubtless  feel 
themselves  warranted  in  going  the  whole  length  of  an  entire 
and  silent  intoxication  ;  and  we  may  enquire  whether  it  be 
absolutely  necessar;y  that  the  22d  of  February  and  the  4th 
of  July,  should  be  selected,  of  all  tiie  days  in  the  year,  for 
throwing  the  reins  upon  the  neck  of  appetite,  and  shewing 
ourselves  unworthy  of  the  freedom,  with  the  acquisition  of 
which,  those  days  have  so  intimate  a  connection.  Is  not 
such  a  distinction  calculated  to  make  them  infamous  beyond 
all  others  in  the  calendar? 

It  is  an  old-fashioned  doctrine,  as  ancient  as  the  days  of 
Daniel,  that  "  the  Most  High  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of 
men,  Tind  giveth  it  to  whomsoever  he  will."  It  was  held 
by  the  sages  and  patriots  of  the  Revolution.  "  An  appeal 
to  the  God  of  battles  is  all  that  is  now  left  us,"  says  the 
^^  forest  born  Demosthenes,"  in  that  Address  to  the  House 
of  I. delegates,  by  which  the  population  of  a  neighbouring 
State  was  first  roused  to  thoughts  of  resistance  to  the  op- 
preseions  of  Britain.     It  can  hardly  be  necessary  for  me 


to  cite  the  closing  words  of  the  Declfira^ion  of  Inclepeu- 
deiice.  ''  And  for  the  support  of  this  declaration,  with  a 
firm,  reliance  on  the  i)rotection  of  Divine  Providence,  we 
mutually  pledge  to  ea<  h  other,  our  lives,  our  fortunes,  and 
our  sacred  honor,"  May  not  a  man  calling  himself  by  the 
name  of  Christian  he  permitted  to  iioldj  as  those  old  pa- 
triots believed,  that  the  Almighty  Being,  to  w!io^  c  even- 
lianded  justire  they  made  their  appeal,  did  watch  over  the 
destinies  of  tiie  infant  !>epublic,  and  enable  our  little  b?i;k 
to  ride  out  the  dreadful  storm  that  hov,  led  around  her? 
May  he  not  be  pardoned,  if  he  refuse  to  dishonor  the  anni- 
versary of  our  emancipation^  by  the  transgression  of  His 
laws  ? 

IVa shin gton  w SIS  not  more  remarkable  for  the  profound 
wisdom  of  all  his  determinations  than  for  the  blameless 
purity  of  iiis  life.  Througliout  his  long  career,  there  ap- 
pears no  stain,  no  blot.  All  is  cons^istent  and  correct  Hut 
had  Washington  appeared,  I  will  not  say  the  victim,  but 
in  any  way  or  form,  the  patron  and  friend  of  intemperate 
habits  and  practices,  how  would  his  glory  have  been  dark- 
ened and  eclipsed.  His  name  would  never  have  been 
sounded  forth  through  all  the  eartli  as;  that  of  the  wise  and 
good.  The  country  is  less  indebted  to  him  for  his  services 
on  the  battle-iield,  important  as  they  were,  than  for  the 
unspotted  purity  of  his  after-life,  and  the  matchless  pattern, 
of  excellence,  in  this  vespect,  which  he  left  to  those  who 
should  succeed  him.  The  day  that  gave  him  ])irtli  is  v,or- 
thy  to  be  kept  as  an  annual  festival  throughout  thi  s  western 
continent.  Fair  rise  the  sun  upon  that  morn,  let  no  d  rk 
cloud  obscure  the  day,  let  men  then  meet  in  peace  and  love  ; 
but,  O  let  it  not  he  profaned  by  foul  intoxication,  le^t  ^is 
afflicted  spirit  turn  away,  and  weep  over  the  degradaitan 
of  the  country  that  he  saved.  We  do  not  object  to  fe  ii- 
vities  on  these  occasions  ;  vve  only  claim  that  they  should 
be  harmless.  The  children  of  a  certain  city  in  a  dishint 
part  of  the  world,  have  been  in  tlie  practice  of  carryi?sg  on 
their  youthful  sports  on  the  top  of  a  rock  whose  siden  are 
precipitous  and  craggy,  so  that  it  is  certain  death  to  the 
unfortunate  babe  who  happens  to  bf*  jostled  over  the  ci\:^. 


I4i 

Besides  this,  the  rock  rises  in  the  midst  of  pestilential 
marshes,  and  many  sicken  and'  die,  poisoned  by  the  nox- 
ious vapours  and  exhalations  that  hover  round  tlie  spot. 
Some  of  the  children  propose  at  length,  to  remove  their 
play-ground  from  the  rock  from  whose  top  they  looli  down 
from  time  to  time,  and  see  the  bleac  hing  I>ones  of  tijeir 
companions,  who  have  been  crushed  by  being  precipitated 
to  the  bottom.  They  propose  merely  to  transfer  it  to  a 
green  flowery  meadow,  lying  in  a  healthy  situation  on  the 
other  side  of  the  city  ;  but  tliey  are  withstood  by  the  others,, 
and  railed  at  as  cowardly  and  fanatical.  These  are  the 
members  of  the  Temperance  Society  and  their  opposers. 

IV.  Some  will  say,  ^Mt  is  plainly  expedient  and  pro- 
per, that  the  use  of  distilled  spirits  should  be  laid  aside, 
but  vrhy  not  leave  it  for  every  person  to  provide  in  private 
for  his  own  safety  ?  Where  is  the  necessity  of  forming 
Societies,  and  binding  ourselves  by  promises  and  written 
obligations  to  abstinence?'' 

We  remark,  in  reply,  that  we  have  no  unreasonable  and 
overweening  fondness  for  this  particular  method  of  putting 
a  stop  to  the  mischiefs  of  Intemperance ;  and  if  the  person 
who  does  not  approve  of  the  plan  of  forming  Societies, 
will  propose  another,  that  shall  promise  to  be  both  feasible 
and  effectual,  and  liable  to  fewer  objections,  we  will  very 
cheerfully  adopt  his  scheme  of  reformation,  instead  of  our 
own.  Only  let  the  work  be  done,  and  we  care  not  how  it 
is  done.  An  overgrown  and  cruel  monster  has  been  for 
years  preying  upon  the  community,  and  devouring  year  by 
year  some  thousands  of  our  citizens — devouring  them,  but 
torturing  them  beforehand  Avith  sickness,  poverty,  shame 
and  madtiess,  and  every  other  form  and  variety  of  suffer- 
ing. We  have  all  lent  our  aid  in  pampering  his  fierce  ap- 
petite, and  gorging  him  with  the  food  he  loves.  J3ut  con- 
vinced at  length,  of  the  folly  and  wickedness  of  our  con- 
duct, some  of  us  at  least,  have  resolved  to  turn  our  hand, 
and  attack  this  foe  to  human  happiness,  and  destroy  him 
if  we  can,  and  to  call  upon  all  such  as  are  not  indifferent 
to  the  sufferings  of  their  fellow-creatures,  to  aid  'us  in  the 
good  and  holy  work,  and  so  he  is  really  strangled  and  put 
to  deaths  it  is  to  us  a  matter  of  indifference  how. 


2^ 

But  there  is  uo  room  for  the  hops  of  oiii'  being  ai)le  to 
diminish,  in  any  considerable  degree,  either  in  this,  oi-  in 
any  other  country,  the  mischiefs  of  Intemperance,  e.xcept 
by  the  adoption  of  the  particular  method  tliat  has  lateiy 
come  into  use  of  instituting  Temperance  Societies.  Kvery 
other  has  been  fouiid  unavailing.  The  voice  of  Nature's 
God  has  been  heard,  bidding  men  beware  of  the  frighii'ul 
whirlpool  that  has  been  opened  in  the  middle  of  the  voyage 
of  life,  but  heard  in  vain.  The  drunkard  is  seen  in  our 
streets,  with  bis  bistory  and  an  account  of  his  preseiit  eru- 
dition inscribed  upon  his  foreliead.  *'  I  entered  life  Vvitli 
•''  fair  prospects,  had  talents,  an  amiable  disposition,  cha- 
•^  racter  and  a  handsome  property — I  married  a  lovely 
'•  woman,  my  cinldren  were  well  provided  for,  virtuous 
"^  and  happy — My  neigld)our3  loved  and  respected  me, 
••  The  fatal  habit  seized  me,  and  all  is  changed — The  vi- 
••  gour  of  my  constitution  is  broken  down — I  am  poor, 
''  friendless,  dejected,  a  bad  husb«and,  a  bad  father,  a  bad 
••'  neighbour — weary  of  life,  yet  fearful  of  its  close."  Vv'^itk 
this  warning,  written  in  living  characters  before  their  eyes^ 
men  beconie  intemperate  from  age  to  age. 

The  Gospel  of  our  Saviour  Christ — that  word  of  the 
living  God,  of  which  is  is  said,  "  that  it  is  quick  and  pow- 
erful, sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword,  piercing  even  to 
the  dividing  asunder  of  the  soul  and  body,"'  has  been 
brought  to  bear  upon  the  argument,  but  accomplishes  little. 
Even  in  those  congregations  where  the  doctrines  oi"  Christi- 
anity are  preached  with  plaiuness,  truth  and  fervor,  exaui- 
ples  of  the  vice  which  is  the  subject  of  remark,  are  not 
wanting.  The  Christian  Minister,  as  they  have  appeared 
thickening  about  him,  has  been  ready  to  exclaim,  in  me- 
lancholy despondency,  that  the  sword  of  the  spirit  that  has 
been  put  into  his  hand  to  strike  through  the  foes  of  God  and 
man,  has  lost  its  ancient  temper — that  tlseie  is  one  form  of 
human  wickedness  which  it  is  incompetent  to  cut  in  pieces 
and  destroy.  But  it  has  been  suggested  to  him,  at  length, 
that  it  is  not  a  want  of  keenness  in  the  weapon  that  has  been 
furnished  him  from  the  armory  of  the  Lord,  but  his  owq 
want  of  skill  in  using  it,  that  is  the  cause  of  his  small  sue* 


m 

Ci';ss.  Instead  of  brin^in^  forward  those  'leiiunciatious  of 
ths  sin  of  drunkiMini^.ss  that  are  contained  ia  the  Scriptures, 
it  is  necessary  to  ^ )  farther  hack,  and  it  is  the  petition  in 
the  Lord^s  prmjzr,  hy  ivhich  we  heq  that  we  may  escape 
temptation,  that  demands  attention  The  institution  of 
Tt'inperance  Societies,  is  simply  a  scheme  for  removing 
the  temptation  to  an  excessive  use  of  intoxicating  liquors 
as  far  as  possible  from  amongst  us,  and  two  m  Hives  are 
presented  to  induce  us  to  lend  them  our  cordial  support. 

1.  TJie  first  is  personal.  Those  who  become  members 
of  the  Society  and  raithlully  observe  the  provisions  of  its 
constitution,  place  themselves  beyond  the  reach  oi  danger. 
They  draw  such  a  circle  about  them  as  the  ancient  -"sorce- 
rers are  represented  as  describing  upon  the  sand,  when 
about  to  summon  into  their  presence  a  being  from  the  invi- 
sible vviirld.  However  wildly  ne  any  I'age  without,  the 
evil  spirit  has  no  power  to  pass  tliat  boundary. 

2.  The  other  motive  for  enr  dliug  ourselves  amongst  the 
members  of  the  Te.iiperance  society,  is  drawn  from  our 
regard  fv.r  the  welfare  of  our  fellow  creatures.  Granting 
that  the  step  is  not  at  all  neeifal  to  oar  p- r^oaal  security, 
we  owe  it  to  the  community  of  which  we  a;e  members. 
The  evil  for  which  we  seek  to  provide  a  remedy,  has  been 
increasiii:'-in  m,i2:!)ituJe  durins;  tite  last  two  hundred  years. 
The  nations  are  in  the  condition  of  a  man  witli  a  basket 
upon  his  shoulder,  into  which  one  ounce  ball  after  another 
has  been  thrown,  until  he  cries  out  at  lengMi,  that  he  must 
be  relieved,  or  he  shall  be  crashed.  Will  you  refuse 
your  assistuice?  It  is  in  vain  that , we  claim  to  have  no- 
thing to  do  with  the  business,  and  plead  that  the  case  is 
one  where  v/e  a;  e  without  responsibility  We  are  respon- 
sible J". 7r  the  consequeices  of  oar  eoil  example.  The  or- 
piias!  child  whom  you  shall  hereafter  casualiv  m-^et — whose 
features  ar3  unknown  to  you — vviio  is  fatherless,  because 
his  f;ith  r  lulled  himself  with  sLroug  drink — and  mother- 
less, be-ause  his  mother  died  of  a  broken  heart,  may 
jui-ily  lift  his  little  hand,  and  call  the  most  High  God  to 
witness,  that  you  are  ihe  auch^r  of  his  misi'ortunes,  since 
feut  for  your  example,  he  would  now  be  enjoyiaj;  the  biess- 


ings  of  a  mother's  aflFection  and  a  father's  love.  But  his 
father  heard  you  sneer  at  the  Temperance  Society,  and 
commend  the  social  glass,  and  thus,  through  your  influence, 
was  led  into  those  evil  courses  which  issued  in  his  ruin. 
If  another  illustration  of  the  truth  before  us  and  of  our  duty 
be  called  for,  we  offer  the  following.  There  is  in  a  certain 
part  of  the  country  a  ford  in  a  stream  that  is  always  I'apid 
and  deep,  and  often  swollen  by  storms.  Every  year  a 
number  of  persons  are  carried  away  by  the  impetuosity  of 
the  waters,  into  the  bosom  of  which  they  sink  to  rise  no 
more.  It  is  proposed  to  prevent  these  calamities  by  erect- 
ing a  bridge  across  the  fatal  stream.  It  appears  that  the 
expence  and  trouble  would  be  inconsiderable,  but  there  are 
a  number  of  persons  in  the  neighbourhood  who,  claiming  to 
be  very  kind  and  charitable  people,  refuse  to  lend  their  aid. 
Such  a  torrent  is  Intemperance,  and  such  a  means  of  es- 
cape do  we  propose  from  its  dangers.  Will  you  refuse 
the  simple  contribution  of  your  name?  It  is  true,  that 
those  who  enter  its  waters  and  begin  to  feel  the  influ- 
ence of  the  current,  raise  no  loud,  imploring  cry  for 
help  ;  if  we  could  trust  to  the  song  that  is  on  their  lips, 
we  should  perhaps  be  compelled  to  pronounce  them  happy. 
They  are  insensible  to  their  danger  ;  but  it  is  not  the  less 
on  that  account,  for  smoothly  as  the  stream  may  seem  to 
flow  at  first,  it  ere  long  begins  to  rush  forward  with  resistless 
violence,  carrying  its  unthinking  victims  along  with  it, 
down  into  the  unfathomable  gulf  of  everlasting  ruin. 

V.  Finally,  it  is  said,  that  there  are  men  of  talent  and 
distinction  in  the  country,  who  stand  aloof  from  the  Tem- 
perance Society,  and  that  their  example  may  be  safely 
followed. 

The  fact  is  admitted,  the  correctness  of  the  inference  is 
denied.  We  may  remark  first,  that  the  number  of  this 
class  of  persons  is  rapidly  diminishing.  Our  appeal  is 
made  so  directly  to  the  plainest  principles  of  common  sense, 
that  few  will  hereafter  be  willing  to  hazard  their  reputation 
for  either  a  sound  understanding,  or  a  feeling  and  benevo- 
lent heart,  by  attempting  to  make  a  stand  against  the  Tem- 
perance Society.  4 


And  secop.dly,  if  tlicre  has  ever  been,  siuce  the  first  set- 
tlement of  this  country,  a  j^-oneration  upon  whose  failures., 
in  regard  to  certain  points  of  morality,  it  does  not  become 
us  to  look  with  too  severe  an  eye,  it  is  that  which  is  now 
a  little  past  the  meridian  of  life.     They  £,rew  up  at  a  time 
when  the  whole*ordVr  of  Society  was  unhinged,  and  the 
frame  of  (government  overturned  to  its  foundations.    Men's 
minds  were  too  mu(  li  agitated  by  the  political  troubles  of 
the  age,  to  permit  them  to  attend  Vvith  calmness  to  the  edu- 
cation of  tiieir  families.     Many  of  the  young  men  them- 
selve-M  entered  the  army,  aud  there  learned  both  the  virtues 
and  vices  of  a  camp.     What  was  suffered  by  the  Amedcan 
soldiery  in  the  wars  of  the  Revolution,  is,  after  all  that 
has  beeji  written,  but  imperfectly  known.     Without  tents^ 
without  clothing,  wiihout  shoes,  aud  therefore  staining  the 
ground  witli  their  blood,  as  tliey  were  ma.rched  to  meet  au 
enemy,  always  well  cqui[)ped'and  provided  for,  and  often 
superior  in  force,  it  was  hardly  to  be  expected,    when  wcl. 
consider  what  poor  human  nature  is,  that  they  should  not 
be  willing,  v»'hen  au  opportunity  offered,  to  forget  their 
carc"^  in  a  a  temporary  delirium  ;  or  that  they  should  not 
bring  back   with  tliem  into  civil  life,  the  liabits  they  ac- 
quired in  the  army.     With  regard  to  those  who  staid  at 
homo,  and  were  engaged  in  agriculture,  the  case  was  still 
inuch  tlie  same.     The  hush  indman  committed  his  seed  to 
the  earth,  in  utter  uncertainty  whether  the  enemy  would 
riot  come  and  let  loose  their  war-horses   upon   his   fields, 
tramjile  dov.  n  and  destroy  his  harvest,  burn  his  dwelling, 
und  devour  his  cattle.     He,    as  well  as  the  soldier,    was 
under  strong, temptations  to  turn  away  his  eye  from  the  fu- 
ture, and  enjoy  the  present  moment.     Under  these  circum- 
stances, it  v.as  to  be  expected,  that  a  general  relaxation  of 
morals  would  ensue  ;  that  Intemperance  would  make  fear- 
ful inroads  upon  the  public  peace  and  Jjappiness,  and  that 
an  evil  injiuene*  would  be  shed  down  upon  the  next  suc- 
ceeding ^^?nevat|on. .    In  these  facts,  we  find  a  cause  and  a 
reason,  it  not  an  excuse,  for  the  unfriendly  regards  which 
some  amongst  us  may  be  disposed  to  throw  lipon  the  Tern 
perance  Society. 


r 


But  before  we  tlctevmine  to  copy  the  prcjiidic'.^,  faults 
And  failings  of  the  generation  tliat  is  passing^away,   let  it 
be  distinctly  called   to  mind,  that  there  is^|iiole  host  of 
iheir  redeeming  virtues  wliich  never  <  aVj^^Ri  or  which, 
if  we  possess  them,   we  shall  never  h|J«Bi{pc)iLmiity  of 
f^.xhibiting.      Such  were  their  unsljakei^Hmess  amidst  the 
r\an2;ers  of  a  cruel  war,   and  their  wisdom  in  council,  when 
they  were  laying  the  strong  foundations  -f  our  civil  polity, 
jind    providing   for  the    peace    and    welfare  of   succeed- 
ing times.     The  only  virtues  which  it  is  in  o?n' power  to 
.ultivate,  are  those  of  peace.     There  is  little  probability 
that"  the   generation  now   coming  upon  the  stage,  vvill  be 
railed  to  tight  the  battles  of  freedom.     Nor  in  the  v/alks 
uf  civil    life,  will  it  ever    be   possilde   for  us  to   confer 
any  great  and   distinguished   favors   upon  our  country  or 
uiankiud.     It  is  in  tlje  little  circle  of  his  friends  and  neigh- 
bours, tliM  a  man  will  have  ability,  and  chiefly  there  by 
the  influence  of  a  good  or  bad  example,  to  do  good  or  evil. 
It  is  by  a  life  of  industry,  iiftegrity  and  temperance,   that 
be  must  win  an  honest  fame  for  patriotism  and  philanthropy. 
In  the  holy  cause  of  Temperance,  it  does  moreover  appear 
5iuital)le  that  such  of  the  young  menofthelandas  have  been 
admitted  to  drink  of  the  well-springs  of  divine  philosophy,  &  , 
for  the  improvement  of  whose  minds  the  treasured  wisdom  of 
ages  has  been  unlocked,  and  wlio  have  therefore  resources 
and  accomplishments  df^Aled  to  their  equals  in  age,  sliould 
be  found  in  the  first  ranks;  and  not  inappropriate  that  they 
should  lead  the  way.         , 

The  Merciful  God  enable  us  to  add  '^^  to  knowledge^, 
:emperance,"  and  her  kindred  graces,  and  our  souls  shall 
forever  blesis  his  holy  name. 


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